Heating and Cooling Your Home

The most popular heating system for new homes in our service area is the air-to-air heat pump. It's also the most chosen replacement system in existing homes. If you're thinking about having a heat pump put in your home, here are some important things you should know.

First, let me explain how a heat pump works. A heat pump is a mechanical system that uses heat transfer to both cool and heat a house. In fact, a heat pump doesn't actually produce heat, it just moves it from one place to another.

In the summer the heat pump picks up heat from inside and deposits it outdoors. In winter the process is reversed: Heat is picked up outside and deposited inside the house. Some people find it hard to believe that there is heat in the air outside at 0 degrees F, but there is.

What type of efficiency rating should you get when you purchase a heat pump?
There are two efficiency ratings to know about when buying a heat pump. One is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. The SEER is the rating for the performance of the cooling equipment over the entire cooling season. The lowest SEER efficiency rating is 10. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit.

The second efficiency rating is called the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). The HSPF is the total heating output of a heat pump during its normal annual usage period for heating divided by the total electric power input in watt-hours during the same period. The lowest HSPF rating is 6.8. Again, the higher the HSPF rating, the more efficient the unit.

How important is it to have your heat pump properly sized?

It's very important. To determine the correct size for your home, a complete heat loss/heat gain calculation should be made. Unfortunately, some contractors still size heating and cooling equipment by "Rule of Thumb" figures. This often results in oversized equipment because these rules are based only on the square footage of the house,

not taking into account the energy efficiency of the structure and other important factors.

If a heat pump unit is oversized for cooling the air temperature in the house is lowered rapidly and the thermostat shuts the system off. This is called short cycling. When the system is short cycling it doesn't run long enough to properly de-humidify the air, thus causing the home to be uncomfortable.

However, if the unit is undersized for heating it won't operate at it's rated efficiency, since the auxilary heat will be forced to come on more often.

Where is the optimum location for your heat pump ductwork to be located?

One thing to check is that the dealer is affiliated with a nationally-known manufacturer. These contractors usually have been trained by the manufacturer in the correct procedures to install and service your unit.

Be sure to verify that they have their refrigeration and HVAC certification as required by state law.

Ask for references. Previous customers can give you a lot of feedback on whether or not they were pleased with the contractor's work.

Get several bids so that you can make sure you are getting a fair price. Be sure the bids you are getting include the same services, efficiencies, workmanship, capacity and quality. Be leery of contractors who offer extremely low prices - they may be cutting corners in crucial areas.

To have a free heat pump sizing done on your new or existing home contact the energy advisor at your local Co-op office.

Keep in mind that we also offer financing, through approved contractors, for heat pumps at 9.5 percent APR with a 10 percent down payment for qualifying members. One benefit of financing your heat pump with us is that we do a free, thorough inspection of the system once it is installed.